Coupling-centering device.



Patented Sept. 26, 1911.

E. w; NEWELL. COUPLING GENTERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27. 19 0'7.

WITNESSES eEsT AVAILABLE COPY UNITED STATES PATENT curios] EDWARD W..NEWELL, OFIPITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,'ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIRBRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFPENNSYLVANIA.

CQUPLING-CENTERING DEVICE.

Specificationof LettersPatent. Patented Sept. 26, 1911- 7 Applicationfiled August 27, 1907. Serial No. 390,297.-

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. NEWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Pit-tsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inCoupler-Centering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to coupler centering devices, by which the coupleror its draw bar, while permitted to move laterally from side to side, isautomatically restored'to central position. 1 The principal object of myinvention is to provide animproved coupler centering device of fewparts, simple in construction, and which may be readily assembled ortaken apart.

Another object is to provide improved means, in a device of thischaracter, for curing an initial compression in the centering spring.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is bottom plan view of a part of acar underfranie, with a preferred form of my invention applied; Fig.- 2a transverse sectional View, in part, on the line t -t of Fig. 1; Fig. 3a section taken on the line 2- of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a section taken online 3-43 of Fig. 2.

According to the drawing, my invention is illustrated as applied to thesteel underframe of a caryhaving center sills- 1, and comprises asaddle2, slidably mounted on a plate 3, secured to the under tlangcs of thecenter sills 1, preferably adjacent to face of the end sill. 'lhc saddle2 has upwardly extending guide lugs 4, between which the coupler shank5, having a pivot bearing (3 in the yoke i, is carried. The couplershank 5, and saddle 2 are yieldingly held in the central position by acentering spring 8, which is main-tailua'l in place by keys 11, passingthrough slots in spring followers S), pretcrably provided with recessesit) for the rcception of the opposite ends of the spring- 8.

Angle iron guides 12, secured to the under its face of the plate 3, haveslots 13 near each end for the keys 11, and the saddle 2 is providedwith downwardly extending guide lugs 14, having slots 15, which areadapted to register with the slots 13 in the angles 12, so that theslots in the spring followers, with the centering spring in place, maybealined with the slots in the angles and saddle, and

the keys 11 inserted, thereby securing the parts in position. Thekeysmay be tapered at the ends, so that they can be more readily driven intoplace and may be provided with holes 16' for cotter pins, to prevent thekeys from accidentally dropping out.

The spring 8 is preferably of such length, that when the keys 1 l are inposition, it will be under compression, thereby providing an initialcompression, which is desirable, in order to secure a more positivemovement of the coupler up to its central position.

hen the coupler shank moves from its central position, the saddleengages one of the keys 11 and shifts it inwardly, in the slots 13 and15, compressing the centering spring 8, the opposite key being held frommovement in the same direction by the angles 12. v

\Vhen the coupler is free to return to its central position, the spring8 exerts its force against the key and thereby returns the saddle andcoupler to their central position. llaving now described my invention,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latcnt is:

-l. The combination with a laterally movable coupler draw-bar, of asaddle in which able keys inserted in the slats of the foi lowers andslots in the sacidle for maintaim ing the parts in place.

3. A coupler centering device compiising a saddle for carrying thecaupler shank, a centering spring adapted to be compress? upon movementof said saddle from its cen- 15m]. position, and loglgitudinallyremovable keys for holiing said spring in position under mltialcompresslon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set in hand,

y EDVJAED WV. NEYVELL. Wimesses:

R. F. EMERY, W If. M. CADY.

